In most cases I was within 4-5 feet of the fish so I could see them take it. As soon as I saw the white on the inside of there mouth I would strike and get the rod sideways (under the branches) and yank them out from under the deadfall before they knew what was happening...then block them from the deadfall by standing in front of it and fight them downstream.

Got lucky with the big ones...I had a couple of them wrap me or break me off in the deadfall as well. Low stretch and abrasion resistance of florocarbon definitely helped here....